@BobWolfeSPS and I remain sceptical that the Ministerial Conference will deliver much of significance out of the broad range of critical problems confronting the @wto
Also positive: the prospect of deals on services domestic regulation, but this is a negotiation among “the willing”, a “plurilateral” negotiated among only some of the members.
Loads of issues are unresolved—agriculture, new proposed topics such as digital trade, dealing with plastic waste and fossil fuel subsidies, and reforming how the WTO functions particularly appeals in legal disputes.
Russia’s trade policy review—Day 1, Oct 27. Day 2: today.
These are periodic peer-review sessions (every 5 years for Russia), based on reports from the @wto Secretariat (factual) and the government being reviewed.
Comments Day 1: > 40 members + 1 observer (Serbia)
Briefly:
POSITIVE—Russia is constructive in @wto and for the coming Ministerial Conference
NEGATIVE—Import substitution policies, the role of the state in Russian economy
2/15
US: recognises steps taken in @wto, but concerns about turning inward, contrary to the principles—non-discrimination, predictability, transparency, fair competition, under import substitution and forced localization.
Includes investment, IT, SPS, government procurement
Quite a long thread on the China’s public response to its @wto Trade Policy Review
Lots of detail including: 1. comments covered by WTO rules: China will take seriously and fulfill them, 2. comments beyond WTO rules: unfair, unreasonable, and unacceptable for China.
Here are two threads from @fbermingham on some of the comments members made and China’s response, inside the @wto trade policy review of China, on days 1 and 2.
3. The on-going friction over negotiations in a sub-group of only part of the membership (“#plurilateral” talks, officially “joint-statement initiatives”, JSIs, seen as a way to progress when the membership is deadlocked) versus objections.
FOR—suspending protection will allow countries to copy vaccines and other products
AGAINST—other solutions are effective, protection is needed as incentives for innovation, no evidence that a #TRIPSWaiver will help transfer technology
2/7
More interesting (1)—the US
According to sources: US said
• it appreciated both sides’ efforts
• members should focus only on vaccines to ensure consensus
• seek solutions likely to gain consensus